Synergetic Retrieval Of Atmospheric Aerosol from a Combination of Lidar and Radiometer Ground-Based Observations

The new algorithm that simultaneously inverts co-incident ground-based observations by AERONET radiometer and multi-wavelength lidar is presented. The retrieval uses an assumption that a mixture of fine and coarse aerosol modes with vertically constant spectral optical properties can satisfactorily describe the vertical variability of aerosol spectral optical properties. In this model the shape of size distribution and complex refractive index are assumed to be height independent for each mode, while the vertical profiles of aerosol concentrations can change arbitrarily for each mode. Consequently the inversion algorithm retrieves the size distribution, complex refractive index, single scattering albedo and vertical distribution of both fine and coarse aerosol modes. The concept of the method is presented and illustrated by the application of the developed method to the actual combined observations of lidar and radiometer.